


Past Sins

by rhodrymavelyne



Category: Dark Shadows - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-04-04 22:15:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4154991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhodrymavelyne/pseuds/rhodrymavelyne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maggie Evans talks to Cassandra Blair about Angelique's past, dropping hints that Angelique might have been a woman wronged, justified in taking vengeance upon those who wronged her, until she went too far.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Past Sins

**Author's Note:**

> I've never read Lara Parker's novels about Angelique, alas. This is based upon an idea a fan offered in  
> 'Innovation' comics, which took root in my brain, and grew into a tangled, sinister plot. Maggie has aspects of her occult savvy version from 'Revival'. In my fanfics, she plays the part Professor Stokes does, possessing many secrets, so she's quite different in the original. Both she and Cassandra are students of Professor Stokes, in this universe. The rules of magic are based partly on what I've read up on, partly on what I've observed in the 'DS' universe, and partly made up. Forgive me if I've offended anyone. (bows apologetically)

“Victoria Winters seems very fond of you,” Cassandra Collins said. She flashed Maggie Evans her sweetest smile. “I wish I knew your secret to winning her over.”

“Well, not snatching her back in time, destroying all her illusions about Collinwood’s past, and having her hanged for witchcraft helped,” Maggie said. She flashed a sweet smile right back at Cassandra, filled with ironic double meaning.  
“Why, whatever do you mean?” The false innocence in Cassandra’s widening blue eyes was impressive. Maggie was tempted to applaud, but she played the game, instead.

“Forgive me, I’ll explain.” Maggie’s manner was light, as if she’d been making a joke. It was a mask for extreme sarcasm. “Victoria Winters had a vivid dream, during which she visited the year 1795. While she was there, she met a woman, who looked exactly like you. This woman, Angelique Bouchard, was a witch. She managed to frame Victoria for all the spells and curses she’d been casting on people. Victoria was almost hanged for her crimes, before she, ah, awakened from her dream.”

“Oh, my! I don’t blame her for not liking me, all things considered!” Cassandra’s pretty face dimpled charmingly. “I shall have to do all I can to prove I’m not this Angelique.”

“An excellent idea,” Maggie said with a smile, again concealing the sarcasm, as she clinked her glass against Cassandra’s. “Do that and I’m sure she’ll grow very fond of you. One of Vicki’s stronger points is she’s a very gentle and accepting creature.”

“Ah, those have never been my stronger points!” Cassandra said with a light, self deprecating little laugh. 

“They weren’t Angelique’s, either,” Maggie observed. “Much of the witchcraft she worked was against those who wronged her.”

“Really?” Cassandra asked. Her tone was light, but there was a sharpness to her eyes, as she watched Maggie. “Who wronged her?”

“Well, the first Barnabas Collins, for one. He seduced her, while he was engaged to Angelique’s mistress, Josette Du Pres. Angelique was Josette’s maid, you see. Afterwards, he abandoned her.”

“I can see why you say he wronged her,” Cassandra said, leaning back against the couch. She was still watching Maggie carefully. “However, you mentioned those who wronged her. I take it there were a lot of people?”

“Jeremiah Collins, for one,” Maggie said, also leaning back against the couch. She didn’t take her own eyes off Cassandra. “I suspect he’s the one who encouraged Barnabas to, how should I say this? Sport with Angelique, while Josette was away in France?”

“Really?” The smile disappeared from Cassandra’s face. “Whatever made you draw that conclusion?”

“Do you remember what Professor Stokes taught us about harmful spells?” Maggie studied Cassandra. The other woman’s eyes had narrowed, as if something had upset her greatly. “They have a tendency to rebound, unless the target has somehow wronged the caster. This would explain why Angelique’s magic was successful against Barnabas, Jeremiah, and Josette, yet it failed against Sarah Collins, Daniel Collins, and Victoria.” Maggie paused, as if considering her words. “At least, this is what Victoria noticed in her dream.”

“Did she?” Cassandra’s eyes narrowed even further. “It’s curious that Josette is among those who wronged Angelique. I would think it would be the other way around. Angelique did steal her fiance, after all.”

“It wouldn’t be wrong, if Josette stole something from Angelique, first,” Maggie said. Her green eyes locked onto Cassandra’s blue ones. “Something as important as Barnabas.”

“What could be more important than the man they both loved?” Cassandra asked. Her lower lip had begun to tremble, ever so slightly.

“Her position in the world,” Maggie said. She leaned a little closer to Cassandra on the sofa. “Angelique always believed she could be as fine a lady as Josette. Perhaps she had every right to assume so.”

“How the devil do you know that?” All of Cassandra’s softness vanished, as she glared at Maggie. Her eyes were fierce, wild, and more than a little mad. “What do you know of Angelique’s rights and how Josette deprived her of them?”

“I can guess by the fact that Andre Du Pres spent a lot of time with Angelique’s mother, Miranda du Val, before and after his marriage.” Maggie made her own voice as soft as possible, as she met Cassandra’s gaze. “Not to mention, no one ever saw or met Monsieur Bouchard, the man Miranda claimed was Angelique’s father.”

“It’s true, then,” Cassandra whispered. “He was my father.”

“Everything Angelique did to Barnabas, Jeremiah, and Josette had a certain justification, until Angelique killed Josette.” Maggie ignored Cassandra’s slip up. “That was the sin that damned her.”

“The greatest taboo for a witch,” Cassandra murmured. All the color drained out of her face. “To kill a sister.”

“Like Ann and the swan, who became a harp,” Maggie said. “Perhaps Angelique wouldn’t have done what she did, if she’d known.”

“Oh, she would have done it,” Cassandra said. Her voice was very soft, filled with unshed tears. “She wanted Barnabas too much.”


End file.
